My guesses for nominations in the big eight categories:

PICTURE
A Beautiful Mind, Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Shipping News

DIRECTOR
Robert Altman (Gosford Park), Lasse Hallstorm (The Shipping News), Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), Peter Jackson (The Fellowship of the Ring), Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge)

ACTOR
Russell Crowe (A Beautiful Mind), Gene Hackman (The Royal Tenenbaums), Will Smith (Ali), Billy Bob Thornton (Monster's Ball), Tom Wilkinson (In the Bedroom)

ACTRESS
Halle Barry (Monster's Ball), Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind), Judi Dench (Iris), Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge), Sissy Spacek (In the Bedroom)

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jim Broadbent (Moulin Rouge), Peter Boyle (Monster's Ball), Steve Buscemi (Ghost World), Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast), Jon Voight (Ali)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Judi Dench (The Shipping News), Maggie Smith (Gosford Park), Marisa Tomei (In the Bedroom), Emily Watson (Gosford Park), Kate Winslet (Iris)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Milo Addica & Will Rokas (Monster's Ball), Joel & Ethan Coen (The Man Who Wasn't There), Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park), Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce (Moulin Rouge), David Lynch (Mulholland Drive)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Bob Festinger & Todd Field (In the Bedroom), Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), Peter Jackson, Frances Walsh & Philippa Boyens (The Fellowship of the Ring), Robert Nelson Jacobs (The Shipping News), Christopher Nolan (Mememnto)

I think they're pretty accurate. Maybe a few I would tip differently, but mostly pretty close.

Broadbent for Moulin Rouge rather than Iris, eh?
Elaborate?

Who do you think'll WIN, Holden?

Twelve days to go!! Twelve days to go!!

I'd have to agree with most of that. I'll be shocked if PJ's flick doesn't get a nomination for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Visual Effects (is that's what it's called?) and Best Adapted Screenplay. I don't think it'll win either of the first two -- but, naturally, I hope it wll. :)

I'm honestly surprised at all the buzz Hackman seems to be getting for his role in The Royal Tenenbaums. I thought he was good, but I never would have even thought of him for the award if so many others hadn't mentioned him.

And yeah, the "retarded thing" has started to wear out its welcome. I won't go into it further: Kit Ramsey said it best. :D

I haven't seen shipping news, is it really great? The reviews aren't too promising, and the buzz isn't that high with it, so I'm not sure it will get the nomination. Also, miramax is already pushing in the bedroom.

On the 9th (three days before nominations are to be announced) the seven films up for consideration in Achievment in Make-up are going to be screened in a similar fasion as the sound and visual ones are on Wednesday. Those films are:

A.I: Artificial Intelligence
A Beautiful Mind
Hannibal
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Moulin Rouge

and


Planet Of The Apes

There are three there that I think are shoe-ins for a nom, but I'll keep them to myself.


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Nominations are CLOSED!
They closed on Friday 1st.
Voting members had to have had them in by now!!

The only exception are the following, which are to be selected via specialist viewing committees (like the one above):

Animated Feature
Foreign Language Film
Make-up

And, I'd assume, the Visual Effects and Sound Editing, which are being done on the 6th.

Eight days to go!! Eight days to go!!


*****


Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe will both be making their third Oscar Appearances as presenters this year according to some Press Releases at Oscar.org


*****


And I'm spent.

Regarding Memento, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I remember reading that it, if considered, would be under "Original Screenplay" as the short story it was based on had not been published until after the movie was released........or something along those lines.

Oscar.com is back online for 2002.